GOODSPEED MUSICALS AUDIENCE INSIGHTS MICHAEL GENNARO Executive Director MICHAEL P. PRICE Founding Director presents Book by MICHAEL STEWART Music by CHARLES STROUSE Lyrics by LEE ADAMS Originally produced by EDWARD PADULA Scenic Design by Costume Design by Lighting Design by TOBIN OST DAVID TOSER PHILIP S. ROSENBERG Projection Design by Sound Design by Wig & Hair Design by DANIEL BOONE JAY HILTON MARK ADAM RAMPMEYER Assistant Music Director Orchestrations by Dance Arrangements by F. WADE RUSSO DAN DELANGE DAVID KRANE Production Manager Production Stage Manager Casting by R. GLEN GRUSMARK BRADLEY G. SPACHMAN STUART HOWARD & PAUL HARDT Associate Producer Line Producer General Manager BOB ALWINE DONNA LYNN COOPER HILTON RACHEL TISCHLER Music Direction by MICHAEL O'FLAHERTY Choreographed by PATRICIA WILCOX Directed by JENN THOMPSON JUNE 24 - SEPT 4, 2016 THE GOODSPEED TABLE OF CONTENTS Character & Show Synopsis................................................................................................................................................................4 Bye Bye Birdie Glossary..........................................................................................................................................................................6 Meet the Writers.....................................................................................................................................................................................8 Director's Vision....................................................................................................................................................................................10 Behind the Scenes: Costume Design..........................................................................................................................................11 Program Notes......................................................................................................................................................................................12 1961: A New Frontier..........................................................................................................................................................................14 A Rock Revolution................................................................................................................................................................................16 Interesting Facts...................................................................................................................................................................................18 Resources..................................................................................................................................................................................18 Goodspeed’s Audience Insights can be found on our website: www.goodspeed.org/guides Audience Insights for Bye Bye Birdie was prepared by: Erin Lafferty, Education & Outreach Manager Katherine Desjardins, Creative Content Manager Audience Insights updated 06.27.16 3 CHARACTER & SHOW SYNOPSIS Rhett Guter as Conrad Birdie. THE CHARACTERS ©Diane Sobolewski As the curtain rises on Sweet ALBERT PETERSON: a devoted son to an overbearing Apple, Ohio, a mother and head of the Almaelou Music Corporation. He group of teenagers works as Conrad Birdie’s agent, songwriter, and publicist. He are gathered making is in love with Rose Alverez, but will not admit it because his telephone calls to each mother dislikes her. His dream is to be an English teacher. other about the recent “pinning” of Hugo Peabody ROSE ALVEREZ: the smart and sassy Latina secretary and Kim MacAfee, who are and girlfriend of Albert Peterson. She concocts the now officially “going steady” (“The idea to help Albert pay off his debt by offering "one Telephone Hour”). Kim explains last kiss” to a fan before Birdie goes off to war. to her friend Ursula Merkle that she has decided to resign KIM MACAFEE: the winner of Conrad Birdie’s “one from the Conrad Birdie Fan last kiss;” she recently started going “steady” with Club and become a more Hugo Peabody. mature young woman, even though she is just fifteen MRS. DORIS MACAFEE: Kim and Randolph years old (“How Lovely to be MacAfee’s mother. a Woman”). MR. HARRY MACAFEE: Kim and Randolph In the New York City office of MacAfee’s ill-tempered father. Almaelou Music Corp., Albert Peterson discovers that his RANDOLPH MACAFEE: Kim’s younger, well- superstar singing sensation, behaved brother. Conrad Birdie, has been drafted into the army. Since Conrad has MRS. MAE PETERSON: Albert Peterson’s a $50,000 guarantee that Albert overbearing mother. She is constantly nagging him cannot pay, this is a big problem. and she uses his sense of devotion to control him. Albert’s secretary and girlfriend Rosie Alvarez also walks in with CONRAD BIRDIE: a rock n' roller, inspired by Elvis Presley, bad news: she is resigning who was drafted to go to war. and leaving Albert and his company forever. She is angry HUGO PEABODY: Kim’s “steady,” or boyfriend, who is because Albert has not extremely jealous of Conrad Birdie. followed through with his promise to marry her and URSULA MERKLE: Kim MacAfee’s over-excited best become an English teacher friend and a Conrad Birdie enthusiast. (“An English Teacher”). Distraught over the fact MAYOR MERKLE: Ursula’s father and the mayor of that she is leaving him, Sweet Apple, Ohio. Albert makes a deal. If Rosie will help get the MAYOR’S WIFE: Mayor Merkle's wife and money to pay the Ursula’s mother who is also infatuated $50,000, he will go with Conrad Birdie. back to school, receive his teaching MRS. PERKINS: Kim MacAfee’s friend degree and marry her. Margie’s mother Rosie agrees and comes up with an idea for Conrad’s last hit. Conrad will sing MR. JOHNSON: the father of Harvey a song titled “One Last Kiss” and in order to make him Johnson, Sweet Apple’s resident nerdy more famous, Rosie arranges for him to kiss a randomly teen. selected president of one of his fan clubs. The president she and Albert pick is Kim MacAfee. GLORIA RASPUTIN: a Russian tap dancer who Mae Peterson wants her son to have as his secretary and to date. Albert, Rosie and Conrad travel to Penn Station for 4 Conrad’s last press event before leaving for Sweet Apple, Ohio searching for their kids and encounter Hugo, who proclaims (“Bye Bye Birdie”). Albert runs into his mother and attempts to he is going to drink himself to death now that Kim has run off tell her of his plans to close down Almaelou and marry Rosie, with Conrad. but she becomes so distraught over Albert telling her of his plans to close the company that he does not even mention Hugo ends up at a bar, where he tries unsuccessfully to buy Rosie. Mrs. Peterson leaves and Albert tries to present Conrad a drink. Meanwhile, Rosie buys tequila and proclaims herself as an upstanding American citizen, though the questions to be the Spanish Rose, a better woman than Mrs. Peterson’s from the reporters reveal that he is not. Albert, Rosie and false perception of her (“Spanish Rose”). Albert calls to talk Conrad depart for Sweet Apple (“A Healthy Normal American to Rosie, but she refuses the call after Albert says he needs Boy”). to find Conrad (“Baby, Talk to Me”). She hangs up and Albert vows to get her back. Rosie sees Hugo, who mentions that Arriving in Sweet Apple, Conrad is introduced to Kim and the Conrad has run off with Kim to the Ice House. Rosie realizes members of the Conrad Birdie Fan Club. Hugo tells Kim that her mistake and takes Hugo to find Albert and Conrad. Albert he is very upset about her plan to kiss another boy right after rushes into the bar, looking for Rosie and is confronted by they started going steady. Kim reassures him that he is the his mother. Instead, Albert tells her to go home, saying he only boy for her (“One Boy”). Rosie longingly admires Hugo’s does not need her anymore (“A Mother Does Not Matter dedication to Kim and Albert tries to cheer her up (“Put On Anymore”). Mr. and Mrs. MacAfee rush in, along with the a Happy Face”). After the mayor gives Conrad the key to the parents of many other girls in the town and Mrs. Peterson, city, Conrad sings for the town, causing all the women and and they all head towards the Ice House (“Kids Reprise”). girls, including Kim, to swoon and faint (“Honestly Sincere”). Conrad and Kim are in the ice house smoking while Conrad The next morning, Albert discovers Ursula and the rest of realizes his upcoming responsibility. Suddenly, all the teenage the Conrad Birdie Fan Club singing to Conrad outside his girls rush in and pull Conrad into a screaming, dancing mass window (“Put On a Happy Face Reprise”). Inside the house, (“Ice House Livin’”). The parents and policemen enter, arrest Mrs. McAfee and Kim try to hurry Mr. MacAfee through his a grateful Conrad and break up the party. As Conrad is led breakfast in anticipation of Conrad waking up, but all Conrad away and Kim and Hugo are reunited, Albert proclaims his does is drink a beer and return to bed. Disgusted by his love for Rosie and insists he intends on marrying her after he behavior, Mr. MacAfee threatens to throw Conrad out. Albert bails Conrad out of jail (“An English Teacher Reprise”). Rosie calms Mr. MacAfee down by promising the whole family a reconciles with Mrs. Peterson (“Spanish Rose Reprise”). cameo on The Ed Sullivan Show (“Ed Sullivan”). The next morning, Albert leads a disguised Conrad to the At the theatre before the Ed Sullivan filming, Albert tells Rosie train. Conrad promises Albert